Amazon: New Birth
by CherylSongbow
Summary: Tales of the Prime Universe, Book 3. It isn't easy being America's most popular hero, especially when you really don't know who you are. Amazon struggles to find herself.
1. Chapter 1

There was no denying it now. The conspiracy theorists called it a government plot, the fearful called it a danger, and the comic book nerds called it a dream come true, but only a few skeptics still remained. Most people on Earth were now aware of the meta phenomenon, as it was being called, and for the most part they were accepting of it. Ever since the first appearance of Green Lantern, metahuman and extraterrestrial heroes and villains had been popping up all over the planet, from a Hawkman lookalike in Chicago to a magician in New York that was apparently the Prime Universe version of Zatanna. Villains like Barbarian and the Claw had appeared as well, and Earth had twice now turned back an alien invasion. Even non-metahumans were getting into it, such as the European team Strike Force One, which had so far saved Berlin from neo-nazi extremist Aryan Prime, and stopped the meta-terrorist group Red Hand from bombing Paris.

One of the most popular teams by far, however, was the Birds of Prey, a small American team of heroes that had made their debut in ending an interdimensional invasion at the UN headquarters in New York City. Little was known of Black Arrow, or team newcomer Flare, but Amazon was another matter. Her origins were a mystery, but after she stopped the Claw from tearing up Cincinatti and put an end to Warmonger's reign of terror in Pittsburgh, there were few willing to argue her classification as a hero. A warrior apparently transported right out of ancient Greece, she went out of her way to help people, and was never seen in public without a smile. The _Washington Post_ had referred to her as "a real-life Wonder Woman."

It was intimidating, really. For such a popular hero, Amazon didn't even know who she was. Her memories-what little she had-were scattered and fragmented, and weren't even real memories. Her real memories went back only a few months. She was a clone, after all, and she didn't even know for what purpose she had been made, or by whom. Even her name, Diana, had been adopted from a comic book, at the suggestion of the women who had freed her.

Taking advantage of the dark and her position looking out over the city, Diana allowed herself a moment to lean on the railing despondently, musing on her situation. Her attempt to discover who she really was had led her to a decision to move out of the apartment where she had so far been living with Brittany Nguyen and Amber Nelson, the alternate identities of Black Arrow and Oracle. Not that she was having any luck. Popularity was one thing. Having money was quite another, and few landlords seemed willing to risk renting out to a known hero and opening themselves up to property damage from villains. She had been just as successful at getting an actual job, as well. So far, her attempt to set herself up with an actual life had been one great big failure.

There was a click in her ear, and then Oracle's voice came through the earpiece. "_Amazon, I'm picking up a bank robbery on West and Fifth, just a mile from your position. Three guys, two of them with guns. There's a hostage; one of the security guys._"

Grateful for a distraction, Amazon vaulted over the railing, launching herself into midair. "I'm on my way, Oracle." She dropped straight down along the side of the building, then kicked out at the wall, pushing herself towards the building next door. Hopping between the walls, she slowed herself enough to land safely before breaking into a run along the sidewalk.

"_Up high again? You and Arrow...one of these days, one of you is going to get injured._"

"You worry too much. We're fine." Amazon sprang over a slow-moving vehicle as she crossed the street. A couple out for a late-night stroll stopped and stared as she sprinted past them at a speed to make any Olympic runner jealous. "Besides, I can think up there."

"_Did you get turned down again? Di, I could make some calls-_"

Amazon reached the bank, unslinging her shield from her back as she sprang up the steps and burst through the doors. Police sirens sounded in the distance, still several blocks away. "I appreciate the offer, but I really can't ask you to do any more for me. You've got things of your own to worry about."

The three thieves turned with a start as she entered. The two with guns moved to shoot; one at her, the other at the security guard they had hostage. The third tried to run. Amazon threw her shield like a discus, and it bounced off the wall and flew between the hostage and the gunman aiming at him. The bullet ricoched off it before the shield slammed into the gunman's stomach, and knocked him to the ground. She used her bracelets to deflect the bullets from the other's gun as she charged at him, and then snatched the gun out of his hand. She pulled her punch; it still sent him into the wall.

Amazon bounded past the security guard, who was shakily getting to his feet, and launched herself at the third thief with a flying kick. "You did say you wanted an actual base, right? And you've been pulling in a lot of favors as it is to get the equipment you want."

"_It doesn't mean I can't still help._" The thief dropped to the floor, and Amazon looked around. The thief her shield had struck was groaning slightly; the other two lay still, though they were obviously breathing. The security guard looked dazed, and was standing with a hand rubbing the side of his head.

She moved to recover her shield. "Really, Oracle, I can handle it. I'm looking into a nice place on the south side, in fact." Not that she expected it to work out, but Amber didn't need to know that. "The robbery has been stopped, by the way."

The police were running up the steps as she left the building. She moved aside to let them through, but stopped for the officer who looked to be in charge as he hurried over to her. "The three would-be thieves have been incapacitated," she told him. "One of the security guards was a hostage; he might have a head injury."

Once the officer had the data he needed and was back to giving orders to his men, Amazon broke into a run and started towards the park. Oracle wasn't done, however. "_I do wish you'd let us help, Di. I won't force you, though_."

"I'll keep it in mind."

There was a pause, then Oracle spoke again. "_Car accident on the freeway. Collision pattern looks like the driver might have been drunk. And there are reports of a drive-by shooting on Franklin Avenue_."

Amazon changed direction. "On my way." It was going to be another busy night.


	2. Chapter 2

Amazon crouched on a rooftop, watching the traffic below her as she pondered her latest invitation. There had been a near accident earlier that day when a driver's brakes had stopped working. She had stopped the car from crashing into a bus, and kept the frightened driver company until the ambulance arrived. Afterward, a woman had stopped her and asked if she would be willing to stop by the children's hospital, since meeting a hero would brighten up the lives of a lot of sick children. She was tempted, certainly, but she wasn't sure she actually wanted to go. She had never been around children before, and wasn't sure if she knew how to act around them, or how to treat them. For that matter, she had never actually been a child herself, or at least she had no memories of being one. To be honest, the whole idea actually frightened her.

"Boo."

Amazon turned to see Black Arrow on the rooftop behind her. The tall, black-clad African-American woman grinned at her from under her hood. "How's the apartment hunt going?"

Poorly. "It's fine. I thought you were tracking a gun runner."

Black Arrow came up beside Amazon and leaned on the low wall at the edge of the rooftop. "The drop isn't for another hour, and I thought I might ask you for a hand anyway."

Amazon raised an eyebrow at her. "So you came all this way to ask me in person? It'd be easier for Oracle to relay the message."

"She's busy tracking that blur in California. Besides, I can give you a ride back on my bike."

That wasn't the whole truth. She probably wanted to talk about Diana's determination to go it alone, as well. Couldn't they understand? She owed them a great debt for her freedom, and she accrued more debt the longer she relied upon them for support. She needed to rely on herself first, and then she needed to find a way to repay the debt. "I'll help. You said an hour?"

"Hour-ish." Arrow grinned again. "C'mon."

It was more like half an hour. The two women crashed the drop, set in an abandoned warehouse, and had the entire situation under control within ten minutes. Black Arrow asked Oracle to call it in to the police, and then the heroes retreated to a nearby rooftop to watch as a few squadcars arrived and the gun runners were arrested. Judging from the reactions of the policemen and women, this was a group they had been after for a while.

"They look pleased," Arrow commented. "As good as it is to do things on one's own, it's always nice to get a hand, isn't it?"

Right on cue. "You talked to Oracle, didn't you?"

"I always talk to Oracle," Arrow smirked. "I don't know when you decided this was such a big secret, Di, but it isn't. Never has been. Hell, after I stopped a pawn shop robbery last night, the owner asked me if things were running smoothly with you. You don't exactly live in the shadows, Di. Now c'mon. What's eating you?"

"Nothing's eating me. What makes you think I'm being eaten?"

Black Arrow stared at her a moment, then snorted with laughter. "Figure of speech, Diana! You actually thought I..." She broke off, chuckling, and shook her head. "I was asking what was bothering you, not chowing down on you. And don't tell me it's nothing, 'cause it's obvious that there's something. So c'mon, tell me."

Diana felt her cheeks warm a little. She felt embarrassed every time she made a mistake like that. At least it hadn't been a public one, and she wouldn't make it again. She recovered herself quickly. It threw her enough, however, that she told Arrow about the invite before she realized what she was doing.

Black Arrow was silent a moment, nodding. "Y'know, I never thought about it before, but you really have no experience with kids, do you? That would be a concern, wouldn't it?"

"You think so?" Amazon grimaced. "I'd hate to turn her down-she seemed so eager to have me come-but..." She trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken.

Arrow nodded. "I get it. But y'know, Green Lantern would have something to say about that." Amazon gave her a sideways look. She had met her once, and the Lantern had seemed to be a friend of Black Arrow and Oracle, but Diana really didn't know her all that well. Arrow continued, "It's what her power is all about, really, and it's something she had to learn along the way. Her ring works off of willpower, you know."

Amazon nodded. "So Oracle has told me." She watch the last squadcar pull away, leaving the street dark and empty.

"Well, her power is vulnerable to yellow-"

"The _color_?"

"Yep." Arrow grinned. "See, while green is the color of will, yellow is the color of fear. And if GL lets her fear get the better of her, her constructs won't be able to effect yellow very well. She becomes vulnerable. However, if she's able to overcome her fear, she doesn't have any problem."

Amazon sighed a little, feeling a bit impatient. "And what does this have to do with me?" She suspected that she knew what, but she wanted to hear Black Arrow say it.

"It has to do with you, Diana, being afraid." Amazon tensed, about to object, but Arrow kept going. "Don't deny it. And don't worry. Fear is normal. But what you've got to do is what GL does. Overcome your fear. Face it."

"I'm not-" Amazon began, but Arrow turned and gave her a hard look. It was the sort of look that Amber called the Bat-glare, and Diana had only seen Brittany use it twice before. The first time had been on a doomsayer who had set up shop outside their apartment and refused to move-at least until she used the look on him. The second had been on a suspect in a mugging. He ended up confessing to five muggings, three of which the police had not previously known about. Apparently, it was just as effective on heroes.

Amazon sighed, slumping her shoulders. "But...what if I mess it up? I don't know how to act around children."

"So ask." Arrow said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And one of us could accompany you, if you want, and we'd be happy to do so. We're your friends, after all." She paused, then added, "Trust me, Diana. It's okay to ask for help now and then."


	3. Chapter 3

"_It's okay to ask for help now and then._"

Brittany's words ran through Diana's head, repeating like that song Amber had been unable to stop playing the other day. It didn't make her feel any better, nor did the fact that she was standing in front of St. Jude's Children's Hospital, trying to muster up the courage to go inside. She was wearing a pantsuit borrowed from Brittany, and her hair was pulled back with one of Amber's barrettes. She felt awkward and overdressed, and was a hairsbreadth away from bolting. Her stomach was twisting, and she felt more uncomfortable the longer she stood there. She should be apartment hunting, or job hunting, or tracking down that shooter...

Maybe she should have asked Brittany or Amber to come along. But they both had so much to do, and she couldn't ask yet another favor of them. It was unfair to them, and this was something she would have to do on her own, and she just couldn't burden anyone else with her problems, and she was just _standing_ here and not doing anything...

Diana sighed. This wasn't going to work, and she knew it. Trying to convince herself otherwise was just a waste of time. She turned away, shoving her hands into her pockets, and started walking. She briefly considered hailing a taxi, but her first-and last-taxi ride had been all kinds of embarrassing. Better to walk, even though it gave her more time to think. Brittany would be disappointed with her. Maybe she should ask Amber where she planned to patrol, and avoid that area for a few nights.

Lost in her musing, Diana nearly stepped on the cat before she realized it was there. The cat, a dirty bundle of ginger fur, glared at her with his olive green eyes and yowled a complaint. "Sorry," she muttered, and started to walk around, wondering when she had begun to talk to cats like they were people. However, something made her pause and look back as he sniffed the sidewalk, then looked up at her as if demanding to know what she wanted. She tilted her head and studied him thoughtfully. He was thin, but not skeletal. His appearance indicated that he had been living on the street for a while, but was resourceful enough to get by. There was a scar on his shoulder, and his movements were that of a fighter. This cat was a warrior.

Diana crouched and reached out to touch him, and he swiped at her. She withdrew her hand fast enough to avoid his claws, and considered him longer. He looked around, then sat down to observe her right back. Diana smiled a little. He was feisty, and deserved better than this street. He just needed someone to give him a hand.

He resisted being picked up, but after a minute he stopped struggling and kept still in her arms. His claws dug into her sleeve, and his tail twitched a little. She smiled and spoke to him soothingly, however, and he seemed to relax a little.

That lasted until she got back to the apartment and decided that he needed some cleaning up. In fact, he was quite vocal in his protests, and did not hesitate to fall back on his claws. Diana was determined, however, and set to work despite his resistance. The end result was a lot of water on the kitchen floor, a number of scratches on Diana's arms, and a very damp, very annoyed cat wrapped in a towel while she rocked him gently, cooing to him in a soft voice. It took some time, and a failed attempt at using Amber's hair dryer-he objected to that very strongly, and quickly convinced Diana that its use was unnecessary-but he was eventually dried off.

The next step was obviously to get him something to eat. Diana grabbed a can of tuna fish from the cupboard and set him down to open it, and he took advantage of that to disappear into the living room in a ginger blur. She found him hiding under the couch, and her attempts to coax him out only rewarded her with yet another scratch on her hand. Sighing, she returned to the kitchen to dump the tuna fish into a bowl, and then sat down next to the couch with it and waited.

After perhaps ten minutes, he poked his head out from under the coach and glared at her with suspicion. She kept still, waiting, and eventually he climbed out farther and sniffed at the bowl. Apparently deciding that it was no trick, he began to eat, and she smiled. He stopped eating and tensed, glaring at her when she started petting him, but after a moment he returned to his meal.

He was halfway through the tuna fish when the front door opened, and he disappeared under the counch in a flash. There was a yelp, and then Amber's voice came from the kitchen, demanding, "What the _hell_?"

Diana turned to see Amber poking her head around the doorjamb, and she grinned, giving her a little wave. Amber gaped. "Diana, what happened? Was there a hurricane? Were we attacked by ninjas? Water ninjas? Oh my god, your arms! Are you okay? What's-"

Diana couldn't help it; she laughed. Amber stopped, staring wide-eyed. "Di, seriously. Are you okay? Blink once for yes, twice for no." Diana laughed harder.

It was a moment before she could gasp the words out, "It was a cat!"

Amber blinked. "You were attacked by a cat?"

That set Diana off again, and it was another minute before she could explain, "I found a cat and brought him back here. He just needed some care; he was eating until he heard you come in."

Amber simply stood there with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, then looked at the bowl and the space under the couch. It finally seemed to click for her, and she sat down in her computer chair, though she still stared. Diana waited patiently for her reaction. Finally, she drew a deep breath. "So...you have a cat."

Diana nodded. "That is correct."

Amber released her breath. "You're going to have to take him to the vet, then. Make sure he doesn't have rabies or anything." She paused. "What color is he?"

Diana grinned. "Ginger."

"Does he have a name?"

Diana's grin faded, and she grew thoughtful. "I'm going to have to think about that."

Amber raised her eyebrows. "And you're going to have to do something about your arms. _And_ I am not cleaning up the kitchen by myself."

Diana smiled. "Got it. Shall we get to work, then?"


	4. Chapter 4

Diana quickly decided that the cat's name would be Ares. He was such a warrior that he deserved it, she felt, and she set about making him as comfortable as possible. It took some time, but he started to warm up to her and become more comfortable, even coming into the kitchen when he was hungry. Amber called the vet's office and set up an appointment for the next day, and informed Diana that they would have to buy some pet supplies. Diana was too excited and distracted by having a cat that she completely forgot about her debt, and happily agreed. Brittany was as shocked as Amber by the cat, but recovered herself in plenty of time before going out on patrol. Diana, for the first time in a month, spent the night at home, tending to Ares.

Amber went out in the morning to get a cat carrier, and then they went to the vet. Ares was examined, immunized, and declared healthy, though the vet recommended spaying him. Diana promised to consider it, and then they were off to the pet shop.

Diana's first experience in the mall was nothing compared to this. She darted from cat beds to toys, exclaiming over every little thing and eagerly showing her discoveries to Amber, who was quickly worn out by her friend's excitement and simply sat with the carrier and waited. Diana hardly noticed, and it took her far longer than she had initially anticipated to select her final purchases: food and water dishes, a litter box, a catnip mouse, a squeaky toy, a grooming kit, a bag of food, and a box of treats. She also got him a blue collar and a tag with his name engraved on it. She almost purchased a bed as well, but since Ares had seemed comfortable enough stealing some of her blankets she decided against it. They loaded it all into the back seat of Amber's car, and Diana spent a full two minutes cooing to Ares before Amber coaxed her into the passenger's seat and they returned home.

Back at the apartment, they unpacked and got Ares set up, and Diana learned that training him for the litter box was going to be a challenge. He pretty much ignored the squeaky toy, but soon set about attempting to tear the catnip mouse to shreds, much to Diana's amusement. She spent a second night without going out on patrol, and he followed her to bed, again stealing some of her blankets and complaining when she attempted to take some of them back.

"Obviously, he likes you," Brittany said the next morning, after Ares had swiped at her but was now hanging out calmly under Diana's chair.

Diana nodded in agreement. "He wasn't too pleased at first, but I think he felt better about it after he understood that I'm just trying to help him. He's a true warrior." She reached down a hand and rubbed his ear; he twisted away at first, but then kept still and closed his eyes in enjoyment.

"Hm." Brittany watched the two of them. "He needed some coaxing to accept help, I take it."

Diana paused and looked up at her. Ares sat still a moment, then batted her hand with his head, as if to tell her to resume petting him. Diana did so, though she said, "You're hinting at me."

"Yes, I am. Diana, you are stubborn, and that's a good thing. Some bad guy decides to take over the planet, you won't have any problem telling him off, I'm sure. But when it comes to accepting help, that ain't good. You gotta be a little less proud now and then, and accept help when it's offered. And you gotta face your fears," she added, looking at her pointedly. Diana looked away, but she couldn't deny the truth behind Brittany's words. She sighed.

"I suppose you're right. But...it's hard."

"Never said it was easy. But that's what friends are for." Brittany reached out and placed her hand over Diana's. "Trust me. Don't hesitate to ask if you need something. We're here for you. Got it?"

Diana hesitated, then nodded. "Okay, I get it." Brittany smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Good to know." Brittany glanced at the clock. "And now that we've got that settled, I need to be at the Y in twenty minutes. I think I'm taking the rooftop express this morning." She got up and put her coffee cup in the sink. "Remember, call if you need anything!"

Diana spent half an hour after she left playing with Ares. He got tired, though, and they ended up on the couch with the television on, Diana mostly ignoring it while petting his now-shiny fur. She wasn't sure when exactly he dozed off, but she eventually stopped petting him and let him sleep while she sat back to think.

Brittany was right. She had known all along that Brittany was right, but she had been resistant. Just like Ares had resisted being cleaned, but he seemed much happier now. And he had been afraid of the water, hadn't he? She had forced him to face it anyway, and he came out better for it. The same concepts could so easily be applied to her own situation. Amber and Brittany had both offered, numerous times, to help her find an apartment and a job. She had been resisting their aid so long that it was almost becoming a habit. And she really was afraid to go visit the children, afraid of what she might do wrong, of what they might think of her. And if she was to be honest with herself, she was holding herself back. Both of those situations needed to be rectified. And perhaps she should start with-

"_-threatening to torch the public library unless his demands are met. Police have cordoned off the area and are trying to negotiate, but Barbarian seems to be resisting. We have a confirmed hostage situation-_"

Diana sighed and glared at the television. All right, then. She would start with preventing Barbarian from destroying the library and the hostages inside. The other problems could wait. She pushed herself off the couch and went straight for her armor. Amazon was needed.


	5. Chapter 5

Barbarian was, as usual, bellowing out his ideas about anarchy and the dangers of modern technology, completely ignoring the police sergeant who was trying to negotiate with him. Amazon heard him a full block away, though she couldn't quite make out his words until she got closer. The crowds and vehicles forced her to move along the rooftops-not that she minded-and she paused on the roof of the building overlooking the square before the library. She quickly scanned the area before descending and approaching the police. A female officer was the first to notice her.

"Thank God," she said, taking Amazon's arm and tugging her towards the sergeant. "He's ready to lose it, and we've got fourteen people inside. Sir!"

The sergeant turned and saw them. "Thank God," he echoed his officer, and offered his hand to Amazon. "Sergeant Ronald Scott, and it is so good to see you here, Amazon."

Amazon accepted his hand. "Good to meet you, Sergeant. What can I do?"

He indicated the library. "We can't get inside while Barbarian is alert and on edge like this, and if this goes on much longer he's going to set the place aflame. He's already set that flamethrower off twice, put five of my men in critical condition. I've called in SWAT, but I'm not sure they can handle him in his current condition, not without some loss of life."

"He does seem to be more unbalanced than usual," Amazon noted. "I thought he was in prison."

"So did I," Scott grated. "Apparently, he was broken out and it was covered up until he decided to make an appearance here. Look, you're technically a civilian, and I can't ask you to distract him-"

"-But you don't really stand a chance of stopping me if I volunteer," Amazon finished. She understood how that went. "Is there anywhere particular you need him?"

"Away from the library and any potential victims. And to be honest, I don't give a damn if you rough him up. We're this far from a multiple homicide situation, and I want it ended two minutes ago."

Amazon nodded. "I'll take care of him."

Scott stepped back to let her by. "Thank you, Amazon, and Godspeed."

Barbarian never saw her coming. Part of it was due to how quickly she moved-she had the speed of Hermes, after all-and part of it was due to his wild rant. With the two combined, he did not realize Amazon was there until her shield was slamming into his chest and her foot was kicking his wrist in an attempt to force him to release the flamethrower. He staggered back, loosening his grip, and a blow from the flat of her sword caused him to drop the nozzle.

Now his attention was completely on her. "Tool of capitalism! Your facist codes will never triumph!" His bellowing nearly deafened her, and provided just enough distraction for his sword to take off a lock of hair, far too close for comfort. Amazon deflected his next attack with her shield and stabbed at his leg. The man was taller than she was by at least a foot, and about twice as wide with packed, unwashed muscle. He was also fast, and avoided her attack easily.

"Man belongs with the beasts! To live as nature intended!" He continued his rant as he slammed his sword downward. He had no skill, but he made up for it was brute strength and a disregard for life, she noted as she dodged the blade. She kicked him in the thigh, then sprang back as he swung his own shield at her.

The two combatants circled each other warily. Amazon made sure to avoid moving into any of the columns in front of the library as she watched his movements for any sign of his next move. "Man should be free, not chained by false liberties," he insisted.

"You say much," Amazon retorted. "Now prove your words with action. Your blade against mine. Or are you a coward, to threaten the helpless but avoid true confrontation?"

He growled, a feral sound coming from deep in his throat. "I am no coward. And I will prove it on your body!"

"Then prove it!" She readied herself for the attack that came a moment later, as he charged at her heedlessly. She tried to dodge, but his shield clipped her and spun her about, nearly knocking her down. He was even faster than she had anticipated, and his strength was inhuman. Suddenly, staying alive was right at the top of her priority list.

He charged again, and for a moment it was hand to hand combat. They traded blows with blinding speed, and Amazon pushed herself to the limit to be fast enough, strong enough to block his attacks, fighting on instinct alone. Every blow to her shield forced her back, and her own blows, all successfully blocked by him, jarred her arm to the shoulder. He did not seem to be tiring, and she realized that she was not able to win. Not based on skill or strength alone. She needed to out-think him.

Their blades locked, and Amazon braced her feet as they both pushed, trying to knock the other off-balance. For a moment, she thought she might be able to twist away, but then her foot slipped and she realized that she was at the edge of the stairs. She had only a second for that, and then he shoved her with a roar and she was falling backwards.

She managed to roll and land on her feet at the base of the steps, but her entire body already ached. She set her teeth to ignore it and turned to face Barbarian, who was leaping from the top of the steps towards her. She dodged, but he landed on his feet beside her, and they again traded blows. More through luck than anything else, she caught his sword between her own sword and shield, but before she could act on it, his shield slammed into her head. She fell back, head ringing and her helmet twisted around awkwardly, obscuring her vision and not entirely settled on her head. With no time to get it back in position, she pushed it off and leaped away to give herself a bit of distance.

At least she was drawing him away from the library. They again began to circle each other, but Amazon's jaw was set as forced her mind away from her aching body. She needed to figure out how to defeat him, or at least stay alive long enough for someone else to arrive and help. Except no one else was coming. It was just her, and he was faster and stronger and...

Her eyes narrowed. Of all the things Barbarian was, intelligent was not among them. Perhaps she could goad him, make him reckless. "You're a coward and a fool, Barbarian!"

"You lie!" He charged at her, swinging his sword. This time, Amazon did not attempt to dodge; instead, she leapt straight upward. His momentum carried him under her as she came down and kicked him in the back of the neck. He spun around with a roar as she landed, and attacked with both sword and shield.

Amazon struggled to hold him off as she spat, "The truth hurts, doesn't it? You argue but your propaganda means nothing! You attack women and children! Where is the honor in that? Coward!"

The rest of her words were drowned out by his wordless bellow as he attacked wildly. A blow from his shield nearly knocked Amazon down, but she forced herself to remain standing and match him, blow for blow, block for block. "You are no warrior! A warrior faces his opponent head-on! He stands against his enemy and only his enemy, and does not dishonor himself with the blood of innocents! You dishonor yourself, Barbarian!"

"I am no coward!" He threw himself at her, swinging wildly-and in a flash, she saw her opening. His attack left his entire right side unprotected, and she immediately took advantage of it. She spun away from his sword, arriving beside him, and slammed her pommel into the side of his head. He staggered, and without letting up she pressed her attack, assulting head, shoulders, back, and arms. Her blade laid open his sword arm, forcing him to drop his weapon, and while he howled in pain, she leapt into the air for a flying kick. Her foot caught the side of his jaw, and there was an audible crack.

Amazon landed in a crouch and raised her shield in preparation for the return assault-but it never came. Barbarian stood for a moment, swaying...and then crashed sideways and lay still on the concrete.

It took Amazon longer than it probably should have to realize that the battle was over. Breathing hard, she lowered her sword and straightened up-and then stopped with a groan as every muscle screamed in protest. The police were running over to her, she saw, as well as some paramedics. Most of the officers went right to securing Barbarian. Sergeant Scott stopped in front of her, eyeing her respectfully.

"Thank you, Amazon. You just saved a lot of lives," he said, offering his hand. She started to accept it, then realized that she was still holding her sword. She switched it to her shield hand before she grasped her hand in his.

"I'm here to help, Sergeant," she told him. "And call me Diana."


	6. Chapter 6

Diana didn't remember much of the ride to the hospital, nor of her stay there. She was told that she was in for only an hour, and had insisted that she was well enough to return home. The entire time passed in a blur of concerned doctors and nurses, some kind of injection, and prescriptions for some pain medications.

Her head cleared sharply when she stepped outside, however, and saw St. Jude's Children Hospital right across the street. For a moment, she simply stared at it like another combatant. The Fates were determined, it seemed.

Well, the Fates could wait. She was tired and sore, and her armor felt heavy and stuck to her skin. She was going to go back and take a nice bath, and get some rest. Maybe she could come back later in the day...or probably tomorrow- Oh, who was she kidding? Tomorrow she would come up with another reason to stay away, and the day after that, as well. Diana set her jaw. It was now or never.

She marched through the front doors. Patients, visitors, and personnel stopped to stare as she made for the main desk and told the gaping nurse on duty, "I'm here to visit the children."

While the nurse stuttered and tried to form coherent words, a bright, cheerful voice cried, "Amazon! I'm so glad you came!" Diana turned to see the woman who had previously extended the invitation running up to her. She grabbed Diana's hand and shook it eagerly. "Barbara Mathis, if you remember. So good to see you! She's here at my invitation," she told the nurse, then turned back to Diana. "Amazon-may I call you Diana? We'd be thrilled if you came to the cancer ward. Are you ready?"

Diana felt as if she had just been run over by a herd of horses. By Hera, the woman was practically a force of nature! "I, uh...yes. Sure."

"Wonderful! Here, let me get you a visitor's tag. We'll take the elevator upstairs, then, shall we? This way!" She bundled Diana towards the elevator while the amazon tried to settle the visitor's tag over her breastplate. She continued to speak as they rose to the second floor, telling Diana all about the troubles the children went through and how such visits brightened their lives. Diana, still trying to calm herself, simply nodded and took deep, slow breaths. It did little to help.

Two hallways later, they reached the door through which Diana could see children in hospital gowns sitting around, playing, and talking with each other. Two nurses were visible; one was tending to a little girl who was sobbing over something. Barbara reached for the handle, but Diana stopped, uncertain. Entering a battle was less intense than this!

Barbara seemed to understand, and she placed a hand on Diana's arm, her voice suddenly softer. "It's all right. I take it you haven't done this sort of thing before."

"Never," Diana said. "I..." She paused, biting her lip, then admitted in a rush, "I don't know what to do. How to act, how to treat them-"

"Just be yourself," Barbara assured her. "Don't talk down to them-but I don't think that's a concern with you. I suspect they'll have a lot of questions. Just be gentle. And smile. It'll make you feel better, too."

She patted Diana's arm, then turned and pushed open the door. Attempting to put on a smile-and, she suspected, failing utterly-Diana followed her into the room as the children looked up at them.

"Whoa..." whispered one little girl. The boy next to her just stared, wide-eyed. "No. Way."

"Everyone, this is Amazon," Barbara announced. "She's here to visit for a while. She-"

"Is that a real sword?" The little boy who had interrupted was looking at Diana with excitement. He was bald and thin, but his eyes sparkled with excitement.

Diana smiled at him, feeling more than a little self-conscious. "Yes, it is. I was using it earlier, in fact."

"Was there a bad guy? Did you hit him?" This was from a girl bundled in a blanket.

"It was Barbarian," Diana told them, and there was a chorus of "Wow!" and "Whoa!"

Another boy, not even waist-high, came up to her, and she got down on her knees to be on the same level. "My mommy said you're a superhero like Wonder Woman." He spoke it like a question.

"I try to be," Diana responded.

He nodded, seemingly satisfied, then said, "I like you."

For a moment, Diana was speechless. That was made worse as he climbed right onto her lap and wrapped his arms around her. On instinct, she put an arm around him, and suddenly all the children were gathering around with questions.

"Are you really an amazon?"

"Well, my memories are a bit muddled, but yes."

"Cool! Where'd you get the sword?"

"I've always had it."

"Can I see your shield?"

Diana unslung her shield from its place on her back and held it upright with her free hand, its edge resting on the floor. The children examined it with exclamations of delight.

"Are your bracelets really bulletproof?"

"Oh, yes." Diana smiled at the girl, and realized that she was feeling more comfortable. "Two days ago, I stopped a robber and used my bracelets to deflect his bullets."

"Cool!"

"Amazon, Amazon!" A boy ran up, almost falling over, and held up a picture. "I drew you!"

Diana examined the picture. All things considered, it was quite good. It showed her as essentially a stick figure in armor, holding a car in one hand and her sword in another. Two more stick figures were running away, and the figure of her had a smile.

"You're stopping the bad guys from driving away, see?" He offered her the picture, and she took it.

"It's lovely," she told him. She felt quite flattered. Smiling, she offered it back, but he shook his head.

"You can have it," he said.

Before she could respond, the girl in the blanket asked, "Amazon, can you fly?"

"No, I can't...well, I don't think I can-"

"Maybe you _can_ fly!"

In the rush of question and answer, Diana quite forgot her discomfort. The children were eager to hear about her adventures, and she ended up regaling them with the story of how she had stopped an insane cultist. She tried telling it to them plainly, but quickly ended up giving it all the color and flourishes of any epic tale. They loved it, and begged her for another when she finished, so she decided to tell them about her battle with Barbarian earlier. They listened in wide-eyed suspense, and cheered when she described her victory.

She became so caught up in the interaction with the children that she completely forgot the passage of time until one of the nurses informed them that it was time for medication, and that it had, in fact, been over two hours since Diana's arrival. The children seemed disappointed, and begged her to come back again, and she realized, as she promised that she would, that she was looking forward to it as much as they were.

Barbara accompanied her back to the front doors, thanking her all the way. "I can't fully express our appreciation," she repeated. "And you will come back?"

"I will," Diana promised again. "And...thank _you_, Barbara."

"Oh!" The woman seemed flustered. "It was all for the children. Well-I suppose we'll see you again, then, won't we?" In a sudden act, she pulled Diana into a hug, armor and all. Diana, grinning, hugged her back.

"I'll see you later, Barbara!" She waved to everyone inside as she left, followed out by a chorus of goodbyes. Once out on the sidewalk, she simply looked around, smiling widely as she basked in a feeling of comfort and happiness she had not felt in a while. Finally, only now coming back to an awareness of her aching body, she started back for the apartment, still smiling. Brittany would be pleased.


	7. Chapter 7

Amazon crouched on the rooftop, gazing out across the city with a smile. Oracle had just signed off for the night, Flare had long since gone to bed, and Black Arrow was tracking down a drug lord, and was not likely to be heard from for a while. Her own muscles still ached from her battle with Barbarian the day before, but that did not detract from her mood.

A sudden flare of green light illuminated the area, and cast sharp shadows. Amazon turned to see Green Lantern alight on the rooftop, a green nimbus brightening considerably for a moment before fading away entirely. The slim heroine simply nodded in greeting as she joined the amazon at the edge, looking out over the streets.

For a moment, the two simply stood in silence, waiting. For what, Amazon was not entirely certain. She had not been aware that Green Lantern was back on Earth; last she had heard, she had been busy with a smuggling ring based in sector 2813. Then again, she did have a tendency to come and go. There wasn't a lot currently keeping her on Earth.

Green Lantern was first to break the silence. "Oracle tells me you stopped a runaway train this morning. This after taking down Barbarian yesterday...and getting a cat." She grinned. "I hear he's a feisty one."

"Mm." Amazon nodded. "He earns his name more with every day that passes. Ares...the cat of war." She smiled.

Green Lantern chuckled. "You have been busy, haven't you?"

Amazon felt herself grow solemn. "Yes, very."

The Lantern nodded, and there was silence once more between them. A distant siren caused both women to look up suddenly, but Green Lantern seemed to use her ring to connect to the emergency channels and then relax. "Ambulance. Guy broke his leg, but doesn't seem to be in shock or anything."

Amazon nodded. "It has been a quiet night."

"And one I think you deserve," the Lantern added. "How was the hospital trip?"

Amazon looked at her with surprise. "You heard about that?"

The grin she received was almost as bright as the light from the ring. "Arrow told me. She's quite pleased, you know, both with the hospital...and your decision to not move out."

Amazon shrugged a little. "I'm still looking for a job, though. I feel I ought to contribute something...and I may move out someday. It's only a matter of time before someone realizes that Amazon's friends are Black Arrow and Oracle."

"Ah, the troubles of not having a secret identity." Lantern seemed thoughtful. "You know, I've been considering going public."

Amazon paused. "That's a big step."

"I know, but it seems to be the logical one. I spend as much time off-planet as I do on it...probably more. I'm always active, always running...I don't really give myself much of a 'normal life' anyway because I always expect it to get interrupted. If I go public, it will change everything. But right now, there isn't a lot to change."

Amazon turned to look at her. She seemed solemn, though it was difficult to tell with the mask. Something seemed to be-how did Brittany put it?-eating her.

"So?" she prompted. The Lantern looked at her.

"So...I've been losing connections. I've been distancing myself from everything but my work, and...well, that hasn't been working too well for me. So I think I need to start working on relationships again. In fact..." Her ring glowed a moment, and her mask suddenly seemed to become ethereal before fading away to reveal a pair of bright green eyes. She held out her hand. "Let's do this properly. I'm Janet McCullen, Green Lantern, sector 2814."

A smile tugging at her cheeks, Amazon accepted the hand. "Diana, amazon hero, Earth."

Janet grinned at her, and Diana grinned back. Then the Lantern tilted her head a little, looking at Diana thoughtfully. "You know...you seem a lot more confidant than when we first met. You really do seem to be finding your place."

Diana sighed, and chuckled. "I'm still learning. I still don't know who I am, but...I think it's all right. I'll get there someday."

"I'm sure you will."

Conversation was suddenly cut off as Janet's ring flared to life, announcing, "_Conflagration detected 2.6 miles north. Four life signs trapped. Perpetrator detected._"

The mask reappeared as Green Lantern was once again surrounded by an aura of light, ascending two feet in the air. Green light solidified into the construct of a winged horse and a chariot. "Shall we?"

Grinning, Amazon donned her helmet and leapt into the chariot, grasping the reins. "Let us away, then."

Down below, a shadow detached itself from the side of a building. A dark figure watched the two heroines soar overhead and disappear behind a building, and then it lifted a radio to its mouth. "I have confirmation. She is here."

"_Excellent,_" came a voice through the radio. "_Return, then. We have much to prepare_."

"As you command, master." The figure lowered the radio, then turned away. It merged with the shadows, and once again the night was still.

In the distance, a cat yowled...


End file.
